The Phillies, Cardinals and Rangers are among the teams that have reached out to the Marlins to express interest in slugger Giancarlo Stanton, but USA Today’s Bob Nightengale cites a “high-ranking Marlins executive” in reporting that the Giants are the club that has expressed the most interest.

Miami has surged back to within striking distance of an NL Wild Card spot (largely due to Stanton’s recent heroics), so Stanton won’t be changing hands until this offseason, at the earliest. However, despite the recent offensive spike — Stanton is hitting .356/.462/.925 with 29 homers in his past 47 games — there are still numerous obstacles to a potential Stanton swap. Stanton’s 13-year contract affords him full no-trade protection, and Nightengale adds that not one prospective trade partner has expressed a willingness to absorb the remaining 10 years and $295MM on Stanton’s contract beyond the 2017 season.

Beyond that, the Giants’ minor league system is not very well regarded. Tyler Beede entered the year as the top pitching prospect in San Francisco’s minor league ranks, but he’s had a poor season in Triple-A this year (albeit in a very hitter friendly environment). He’s now likely to miss the final two months of the season with a groin injury. Fellow right-hander Joan Gregorio posted a 3.04 ERA in 74 Triple-A innings but carried some questionable secondary metrics and saw his season end in early July due to a PED suspension.

On paper, the Giants make a fair amount of sense as a trading partner for Stanton. San Francisco, as a team, ranks dead last in the Majors with 101 home runs this season. Stanton alone has nearly half that number, while the 29th-ranked Padres have out-homered the Giants by 25. That lack of pop is all the more glaring at a time when home runs are being hit at a record pace throughout the league.

More specifically, the Giants’ outfield has been the worst in baseball this year by measure of slugging percentage, OPS and fWAR. They rank 29th in on-base percentage, ISO and wRC+ as well. Incumbent right fielder Hunter Pence will turn 35 next April and has struggled to a career-worst .254/.306/.378 batting line through 431 plate appearances this season. Stanton would provide a thunderous jolt to any lineup he joined, but there’s very arguably no team that has a more acute need for his skill set than the Giants.

As for the Phillies, there may not be a team in baseball that can better handle his contract from a financial standpoint. Philadelphia’s only long-term commitment at present is to Odubel Herrera, and they have a history of lofty payrolls when contending. The Cardinals have been rumored to be in the market for an impact bat to place in the middle of their lineup since June, and the Rangers have little certainty in their outfield mix beyond 2017.

All of this, of course, is putting the cart before the horse. There’s no guarantee that the new Marlins ownership group will be in a rush to trade Stanton on the heels of the best season of his excellent young career. Doing so would come with massive public relations repercussions and could start the Bruce Sherman/Derek Jeter-led ownership group out on the wrong foot with a fan base that has long harbored a potent distrust of previous owner Jeffrey Loria. That’s especially true when considering the fact that the Marlins would likely have to pay Stanton’s contract down to the point where an interested partner felt it carried enough surplus value not only to acquire Stanton but also to part with well-regarded young talent.

The Marlins’ preference under new ownership, according to Nightengale, is to keep the payroll around $100MM, and Stanton’s salary will jump to $25MM next season. He’ll be paid $26MM in both 2019 and 2020, after which he can opt out of the remaining seven years of the deal. If he forgoes the opt-out, Stanton will be paid $29MM in 2021-22, $32MM in 2023-25, $29MM in 2026 and $25MM in 2027. Stanton’s contract also includes a $25MM option for the 2018 season, which comes with a $10MM buyout.

As a Dodger fan unfortunately I see why Stanton to the Giants makes sense – with the Dodgers walking away with it this year, the Giants need to do something BIG to satisfy their fan base and begin to put something in place for next year.

You would think the majority of posters on here would be Yankee,Red Sox,Cubs,Cardinals,Dodgers,or even Nats fans. The biggest contributors seem to be either Padres or A’s fans..too much time for those fans projecting onto winning organizations evidently.

They wont get him. Their farm system is mediocre and do you really think they would take on all the money? The marlins wont trade him unless they benifit from the deal with prospects or all the money coming off the books. Stanton loves miami so i dont think he would even wave his no trade clause.

For the record, Moncada is hitting .188 in 122 PA’s since his promotion from AAA Charlotte. He is also sporting a respectable .328 OBP in 2017. In August, Moncada has posted a .368 OBP and .781 OPS that also included playing with a shin splint/bone bruise which finally landed him on the disabled list last week.

Moncada is far from a bust but he does have a lot of work to do to reach his full potential. He strikes out way too much, which isn’t real uncommon for a young player . It’s been a problem for him in his minor league career though and he’s really being exposed this year. But even with that his walk rate is solid. He should at least be an above average player at his floor but there’s a lot of work to be done if he ever wants to hit his ceiling. Was he really ready to be called up to the bigs this year? Probably not, the Sox are bad so they can let him work it out up in the big leagues but his minor league numbers weren’t begging for a call up. If he’s K’ing 28% against AAA arms it’s not surprising he’s at 36% against big leaguers right now.

Give Moncada a chance to mature as a hitter. People see a few guns hitting their stride so early in age that some expect the same from everyone. Obviously it looks like Boston made the right decision in which stud yo keep but remember they brought Devers up because they had no other option if they were to get under the luxury tax this year.

No offense jbigz12, but Moncada’s floor (like that of every other prospect) is bust. With his tools he could be an above average player, but Moncada has serious issues with swing and miss right now. It may be a few years before he gets that under control.

Speculation seems to suggest that the Red Sox may have refused to include Andrew Benintendi, not Rafael Devers, as the top positional prospect going to the White Sox in the Chris Sale trade that had the White Sox “settling” for Yoan Moncada. The Red Sox biggest loss might ultimately turn out to be RHP Michael Kopech.

Nor does it mean Yoan Moncada will be the next Kurt Bevacqua, who btw was never considered an elite prospect let alone a #1 talent per most baseball publications.

For the record, Bevacqua was never considered a regular starting player in his 15 year MLB career which saw him appear in as many as 114 games just once (1979), a season where he also garnered his most PA’s (346). Barring injury, Moncada will surpass those numbers alone as the White Sox starting second baseman in 2018.

Bevacqua will go down in Topp’s history as WINNER for bubble gum bubble blowing champ 1 year.. i forget which year it was, but do remember his BB card had his picture with this massive bubble nearly covering his face showing one the year he won the title.

Because that has always been Jerry Reinsdorf’s m.o. as the White Sox owner. lol

Why on God’s green Earth would the White Sox want to pony up huge dollars and prospects for Giancarlo Stanton? So they could have a single player making 80-90% of the team’s payroll as the club begins phase II of their rebuild?

Last I checked, the White Sox might have the next “Stanton” manning RF and hitting 3rd by 2019 in Eloy Jimenez, not to mention top outfield prospects Luis Robert and Blake Rutherford in CF and LF.

Huh? “Might have or might” is always in play with prospects regardless of their elite status. In the case of Blake Rutherford and Luis Robert, “might” also applies to their ETA which just “might” be 2020.

Perhaps you were also suggesting that I intimated both Robert and Rutherford to be the next Giancarlo Stanton as well as Eloy Jimenez. It wouldn’t be fair to hold such a monopoly so I’ll go with Robert as the Cuban Willie Mays and Rutherford as a poor man’s Ted Williams. Satisfied?

Why do the Giants keep whistling past the graveyard? Even if everything breaks right, Stanton doesn’t even get them to .500 next year. The sooner they realize that Bumgarner and Posey will be too old to contribute to the next good Giants team…..the better.

Why do fans think that teams have to stop making moves after one? There is no player that will improve a team 28 games by themselves, but you gotta start somewhere. Unless you are one of those fans that prefers to lose for five years in order to get better eventually.

The Giants are just the 2012 Phillies. Bad contracts, bad farm system, poor trades and desperately clutching to past successes . There is little difference between the idiocy of Reuben Amaro jr. and myopic Bobbby Evans. The Phillies are just now getting out under the rubble of their poor decisions. The 2012-2017 Philadelphia Philles…… Giants fans behold your future.

Antitox did not call giants lucky but he did point out the similarity Btwn the 2012 Phillies and current giants. Giants had best Mgr, bullpen, good starting pitching and some unlikely post season heros in those 3 champ seasons. They earned the WS rings. But the next 5yrs could be painful for giant fans if they don’t learn from Phils mistakes bc we are and have been ugly.

Stanton could be coaxed to accept a trade to philly if they sign a huge FA starting pitcher and trade from their rich farm system for a 3b. (Machado). They could still have plenty of prospects and cash to get Stanton and he can always opt out if he hates it.

Why not? The 5-year (or less) plan seems to be working with the Cubs and Astros and may also pay huge dividends for the White Sox come 2019 or 2020. This philosophy isn’t strictly relegated to small marker teams anymore with Chicago and Houston joining the ranks. That being said, the jury is still out in Philadelphia. lol

this “San Francisco, as a team, ranks dead last in the Majors with 101 home runs this season. ” statement is misleading in a lot of ways- the giants’ offense sucks big time but park adjustment has to be looked at when not only the giants but all teams hitting at AT&T have actually taken a step back in homers this year, it is the only park for whatever reason that has been immune from the league home run explosion that has gone on. Power is certainly needed but I don’t think that stanton is a good solution, there needs to be a couple of gap hitters and a power hitter in the OF… not a power hitter and some scrubs

but they play most of their games in SF which is why home run power is good to have as a threat in general in order to protect posey in the lineup but it isn’t a strategy to improve the team, looking for a high OBP player with some decent power is a better strategy.

The question is not that they want or need him its how much he would cost them. Posey? Bumgarner? crawford? Those are their 3 biggest trading chips they could trade. Problem is they would need to give up some quality to get him and there is not much quality in the minors to make a package to get him.

If they are just giving him away other teams would be in the mix to get him. Teams not getting Harper or Machado would be looking to pick him up. Giants have so many holes on their team just getting Stanton would not help them very much.

The Phillies certainly have both the money and the players to make a deal happen. I’d have to say they’d be the favorites despite being in the same division. The chance to hit in that ballpark with Rhys Hoskins ahead or behind him in the order has got to be a turn-on for Giancarlo.

Does Giancarlo want to be on a losing team for the next 2-3 years? Why leave Miami to freeze in philly and play with the one player that looks like a stud. The phillies have some things going for them but that team isn’t close to being any good. Have to give up something for Stanton so that’ll put a damper on a solid but not great farm of a rebuilding team. I don’t think so.

I’d think the cardinals might be attractive enough for Stanton to waive. They could certainly send back immediate OF help for Miami if they want to go ahead and move Ozuna or Yelich too. They have the minor league pitching to get it done as well and they have the money if they want to spend it. Miami would have to eat something, cards could also throw in piscotty since he’ll be blocked and that’ll help get some salary off the books.

Just who, in the current Giants lineup could bat before or after Stanton for protection? He’d lead the league in intentional walks. The Giants are the newest version of the former Terry Ryan Twins….looking in the mirror and wondering, what just happened? Nothing much on the farm; aging team with no future. Time for a rebuild in AT&T.

How do you start the rebuild? Mad Bum and Posey? How do you sell that one to the fans, i think there going to exhaust every option before they give up on their 2 stars. A rebuild might be what’s for the best but I just can’t see that happening right now.

Two of 3 ws wins for the giants they had unlikely hero’s from Cody Ross and marco scutaro both were judy hitters their whole careers extremely lucky. If not for bum royals sweep them in 2014. They are garbage and their handwagon fans don’t show up anymore

All I heard is that they won 3 WS in 5 yrs…didn’t realize how u win matters (which was with pitching/defense/and timely hitting by the way. Just like most winning teams)
And then you’re gonna go after them for finally breaking their NL record sellout streak during a season in which they’re 40 games back? Do even you know what you’re taking about? Cuz we don’t…
Why are some people so butt hurt about the 3 in 5 Giants? Get over it!

I’ll wait another Year before I’ll move on him ( if Possible ) this is is first full season and has History of Injuries.
His contact is Financial Death for any team that excepts it , Phillies can , so can Yankees , Untimely that’s where he ends up with Judge being part of the Package that acquires him !
If St Louis Acquires him , it going to one of those Five for one deals !

The most crucial part of the USA article was Nightingale noting that the Jeter group can “get away with” trading Stanton…..Marlins fans would lynch Loria, but they’re going to cut Jeter & Co. some slack…..

I think they move Stanton and take back very little of the contract; the new ownership seems a little short on cash to begin with…….so it won’t be a prospect-heavy deal……

The Cards make sense, and I’d put the Red Sox as an outside contender……..Stanton would rewrite power records in Fenway, and add thump to an essentially Punch and Judy offense…….and they have the cash……

I don’t see it. I think FO’s still have in their heads the Red Sox to Dodgers A-Gon, Crawford, Beckett trade/salary dump. Stanton is a great player, but any transaction is high risk, and especially if you have to give significant talent back.

I wish the M’s would go after him, both Gamel and Haniger haven’t been able to hit at all lately, and they have gotten no power out of their outfield at all. I’m 99% sure It won’t happen, but trade either Gamel or Haniger, depending on if the Marlins even value either. So Gamel or Haniger with probably Neidert and take on almost all of the contract as they have enough financial flexibility, or take on less and add more prospects, but I doubt the M’s have anyone of value outside of Neidert and Lewis. And if his defense is not good enough for Jerry as he gets older, he can shift into the DH role in 2019. Segura, Seager, Cano, Cruz, Stanton, or switch Stanton and Seager would be a deadly lineup with Zunino and the high obp guys at the bottom.

Well lol they could have enough to get Stanton. They couldn’t get him without dipping into the major league roster. If they sent Diaz and haniger or gamel with Lewis and neidert and take on the entire Stanton contract, Miami would think about it. That’d probably be a lateral move for Seattle since they’d lose their closer. It will never happen anyway but I’m sure there’s a way they could get creative enough to get Stanton if they really wanted to. Whether or not he would go there is a whole different ballgame. Hypothetically the Marlins could get a haul back for Diaz and get a solid Of prospect in Lewis. They could plug up stantons spot with haniger/gamel next year. Or they could give Miami Paxton and it’d be a done deal. None of this will ever happen. Nor would any of those deals improve Seattle but it’s fun to BS. If the mariners still had O’Neill I could’ve put together a better
fake package.

As lifelong Dodger fan, I would love it if SanFran picked-up Giancarlo, spending such a large chunk of their payroll on 1 player, when they have a lot more holes than 1 big bopper can fix, plus how….? Their cupboard is kinda bare regarding blue chippers. That contract, only a handful of teams can add that to budget, if anything, Stanton is an LA kid, valley boy, Harvard-Westlake High School, n Dodgers have a rich, DEEP farm system at all levels….prospects to deal n money too spend. Go Dodgers !!!!

Plus, he’s straight-up hometown kid, coming HOME, Dodgers already lead MLB in attendance, playing for team u rooted for growing up, sleeping in YOUR own bed, home cooking…..just don’t think Friedman would part w/the prospects it would take to swing deal….Marlins better trade em before his contract becomes albatross, then they have to deal em n lose all leverage.

If not the Phillies, i still see only big market clubs involved. Not sure if his contract is insured against injury but how many teams can absorb that money over the next ten years? Even if the Marlins pay down some of it, the years with his injury history are scary. Teams will be adding the value of the players they would have to include and they weigh everything against signing one of the 2017 and 2018 big guns.

I think I might make a lousy GM… For the money that Stanton is going to continue making, I’d sure like to see if he’s capable of having more than a single injury-free season before committing to all those years.His season is beyond amazing this year, no doubt (I’d vote for him for NL MVP), but I just can’t see disregarding the previous several seasons.

Hell no from the phillies end. Stanton isnt taking the phillies to any championship ! Pitching staff is brutal for one. That needs to be upgraded. 3rd base needs to be upgraded. Galvis is ok at SS but he’s average, Catcher is so-so. If Hoskins stays in LF, 1st base is mediocre. Lots of holes they need to improve instead of worrying about a crazy Stanton contract

Altherr isn’t a bad RF, If he can stay healthy . Stanton strikes out alot and the phillies are supposedly trying to get away from those type players.

The orioles don’t want the Phillies garbage. We could get an elite prospect and you’re going to give us pivetta, Franco, and the oft-injured only played well in 330 abs this year Aaron altherr. Think about that for awhile.

knowing Philly’s luck with big athletes, Stanton would turn into a slight bust if he came here. Not to mention that most long term deals like that almost never work. A-Rod, for example. Then teams wonder why they can’t unload them when they’re performing poorly.

They don’t have a lot of top 100 depth, but they have some decent and interesting pieces in the farm system, especially some outfielders: Slater, Reynolds, even Steven Duggar, could even consider Chris Shaw.

The notion that the Giants don’t have a lot is false. They have players they could move. And for the cost of Stanton’s salary, it won’t take anywhere near as much as people think.

No one is giving up multiple top prospects and also taking on that salary.

The giants are in worse shape than the Marlins. He’ll be traded to Boston or new york Yankees or opt out and go to L.A. it’s unfair for new ownership to keep him and never give him support and players he’s never had

Could see Boston if they reset their threshold click depending on how much the Fish will eat. But even if that gets worked out, what would be fair compensation back outside of a catcher (not sure if Florida needs a young catcher but my guess is Sandy Leon would be a piece going back). As I said earlier, insurance on future injuries might also be a key. I also can see the Yankees pulling the trigger. With the young prospects they have, a five for two trade cleans up their 40 man roster years and issue. Even they though might have long term reservations after finally ridding themselves of their past long term obligations. If they pulled the trigger, would they still be looking at Harper or Machado in 18?

The return is not even relevant. He’s never had protection it would be wrong for Jeter to be selfish and keep him on a team that will never win and has never sold out a single home game. It took the death of jose Fernandez to get a near sellout .that’s just morally wrong. They never deserved their own stadium. The rays and marlins should have been relocated before ever getting a new stadium. It’s too late now.

As a Dodger fan unfortunately I see why Stanton to the Giants makes sense – with the Dodgers walking away with it this year, the Giants need to do something BIG to satisfy their fan base and begin to put something in place for next year.

I feel like I’m taking crazy pills. Stanton is without a doubt top 5 hitter in the league right now and he’s finally had a year of health. The contract isn’t that bad especially when you factor in salary inflation.

There is zero reason to trade him unless the Marlins are getting a major prospect haul back and left with little or none of the contract. All of you are dreaming.

You must be crazy. His status as a player is irrelevant. He is signed through 2027 and has over $250M left on his contract. A contract like that will handcuff any team who takes it on, and it already handcuffs the Marlins.

The new ownership is likely wanting that off the books, and trading it won’t be easy.

No team, literally zero, will give up top prospects AND take on the majority of his contract.

I think the Blue Jays would make a perfect trade partner.
The Jays have a need for a Right Fielder when Bautista doesn’t return next yr.
The Jays have a top 5-6 payroll and with Bautista not returning that would be 18 mil freed up right there.
The Jays have the financial resources to take on the whole contract and therefore minimize the prospect return.
Marlins fans wouldn’t have to watch Stanton show up every month and make them pay for trading him. since the move to the AL East Stanton would rarely return to Miami.
This move would keep the Jays in a win now approach with a middle lineup featuring Donaldson, Stanton, Smoak.

Dee, Yelich, Ozuna, Stanton, Bour, Realmuto shouldn’t be moved, that’s our core, we should be building around them. Trade Prado, let Ichiro continue his career in another place, Chen is really bad, Tazawa and Ziegler are throwing watermelons. Trade all those guys for the best they can get just to get other players that we could use or just to dump salary.